Clive bends forward, hands on his knees, breathing deeply as the beast tide finally recedes for the moment.
The wall is littered with broken arrows and empty cartridges.
Below, carcasses pile against the rampart.
For now, the forest is quiet.
He straightens and wastes no time.
Leaping down from the wall, he moves quickly through the battered streets toward the house assigned to them.
Inside his room, the violet-winged raven already waits.
It hops lightly onto the table as he enters.
Clive closes the door behind him.
"Master," he asks, "did you return to the Golden Sand Continent?"
Kaelan's voice, from the raven, answers calmly, "Yes."
Clive nods.
"Then why are you here? Do you need something?"
"I sensed your cultivation of the Spirit Bone Alchemy Array has been completed," Kaelan replies. "So I came to give you the next technique. It will help you transform your blood."
Clive's eyes brighten instantly.
"Thank you, Master."
"The technique is called the Nine Revolution Spirit Blood Array," Kaelan continues. "It is a hybrid of Life Alchemy and Flesh and Blood Alchemy."
Clive listens intently.
"To begin," Kaelan says, "you must connect your Blood Spirit with your Spirit Bone Alchemy Array."
"How?" Clive asks without hesitation.
"Draw the Spirit Bone Alchemy Array upon your Blood Spirit," Kaelan instructs. "When the imprint stabilises, you will perceive a nascent connection. Follow that sensation and establish it firmly."
Clive nods slowly.
"Then draw the power within your bones to refine the Blood Spirit. After completing one revolution, the refined power of the Blood Spirit will flow back into your bones, transforming both bone and blood. After nine revolutions, your blood will be nearly transformed into Spirit Blood. Full transformation will come with time."
As Kaelan speaks, the structure of the Nine Revolution Spirit Blood Array forms directly inside Clive's mind.
Lines.
Nodes.
Circulation paths.
Refinement sequences.
Clive closes his eyes for several minutes, absorbing every detail.
When he opens them, the technique is memorised.
"You should also study the bloodline of the Shadow Monkey you killed," Kaelan adds. "It will improve your Shadow Control ability."
Clive straightens.
"Where are you going, Master?"
"I will remain in the town," Kaelan replies. "Do not worry."
The raven leaps from the table, flies out the window, and disappears in the direction of the mine.
Clive watches briefly, then exits his room.
As he descends the stairs, Rosalyn enters the living room from outside.
Her steps are heavy.
Dust clings to her clothes.
"Where are you going?" she asks.
"I killed a Shadow Monkey," Clive answers. "I'm retrieving it."
Rosalyn nods and sinks onto a piece of furniture, exhaustion visible in every movement.
Clive walks toward the door but pauses.
"Were you in a meeting with the Earl?"
Rosalyn keeps her eyes closed and nods.
"What was it about?"
"The beast tide," she answers softly. "We requested reinforcements from Rainer City. They told us to hold for two days."
Clive frowns.
"Can we hold for two days?"
"If the intensity remains the same as tonight," she replies, "we can."
He studies her briefly, then nods.
After a few more quiet exchanges, he leaves.
The streets are still tense.
Guards patrol cautiously.
He asks where the beast corpses are being gathered.
He is directed toward a large open yard near the market.
There, ordinary beasts are being butchered.
Meat sorted.
Hides stripped.
Smoke rises from early preparation fires.
The Shadow Monkey lies apart from the rest.
Unlike the others, it is treated with caution.
As a spirit beast, it is valuable.
Clive approaches and identifies himself as the one who killed it.
No one argues.
He lifts the corpse over his shoulder.
Returning to the house, he places the Shadow Monkey carefully on the side lawn.
He studies it briefly.
Then turns and heads out again.
He must acquire materials.
The Blood Awakening Array will require precise components.
Clive stands in the market street, eyes resting on the only alchemy supply store in Arlen Town.
The wooden sign above the entrance creaks in the wind.
He was told this is the only place that carries proper alchemical materials.
He steps inside.
Immediately, raised voices greet him.
"Boy, I told you there is no healing medicine in the store!"
A child's voice cries in reply.
"Please, sir! My mother—she's very sick!"
Behind the counter, a middle-aged man slams his palm down.
"Bob, Tom, throw the boy out."
Two workers move without hesitation.
They grab the struggling child by the arms and drag him toward the door.
The boy kicks and pleads, but he is tossed out onto the street.
The door shuts.
The shopkeeper exhales and adjusts his sleeves.
Then he notices Clive.
His expression shifts instantly to polite professionalism.
"Sir, what can I get for you?"
Clive calmly lists the materials he needs for the Blood Awakening Array.
The man's eyes widen slightly at the complexity of the request, but he nods and orders the two workers to prepare the items.
While they gather components from shelves and locked drawers, Clive speaks.
"What was the matter with the boy?"
The shopkeeper's shoulders sag slightly.
"The boy is asking for medicine for his sick mother," he says quietly. "But the Earl confiscated all healing medicines after the beast tide began. Supplies are restricted."
Clive nods once and says nothing more.
Minutes later, the materials are wrapped carefully and handed to him.
He pays without bargaining.
Stepping out into the street, he turns toward the direction of his residence.
Before leaving the market square, he notices the same boy again.
The child stands near two town guards.
One of them kneels slightly, speaking gently.
"Ben, let's go home. I'll do everything I can to get medicine."
The boy sniffles and wipes his face.
"Can you get the medicine, Uncle Pete?"
The guard hesitates.
His eyes move around uncertainly.
Then they land on Clive.
Recognition flashes across his face.
He stands abruptly and raises his hand.
"Master Alchemist! Master Alchemist!"
Clive stops walking.
He turns his head toward them.
The guard approaches quickly, respectful but urgent.
"Master Alchemist, could you please help us?"
Clive looks at the child.
Tear-streaked face.
Red eyes.
For a brief moment, his mind drifts to his own mother.
To lose.
To helplessness.
He looks back at the guard.
"Do you want me to heal the boy's mother?"
The child's eyes brighten instantly.
He runs toward Clive.
"Mister! If you heal my mother, I'll be forever grateful!"
Clive gives a small nod.
"Alright. Lead the way."
The boy grabs his hand and pulls eagerly.
The guard follows closely.
They move through narrower streets toward the residential district.
Simple houses line the road.
Dim lantern light flickers in windows.
They stop before a modest wooden house.
The boy rushes ahead and pushes open the door.
"Mother! Mother!"
Clive steps inside with the guard following behind.
The air inside smells faintly of sickness and damp cloth.
The small room is poorly lit.
A woman lies on a simple bed near the corner.
Her breathing is shallow.
Her face was pale.
The boy rushes to her side.
Clive steps closer, setting his package of alchemical materials aside.
He kneels.
His hand hovers above the woman's chest.
Spirit sense extends carefully.
He begins assessing her condition.
------
Earl Elliot sits at the long dining table with his family.
Silverware clinks softly against porcelain.
Elena sits upright, her expression restless.
Across from her, Larissa maintains a composed smile.
Midway through the meal, Larissa speaks gently.
"Lord, I will go to help the next time the beasts come."
Elena immediately adds, "Father, me too. I want to help."
The Earl's brow furrows.
"No."
He turns toward Larissa first.
"One of you is only a second-stage Alchemist apprentice."
Then he looks at his daughter.
"And the other is an intermediate Knight apprentice. With your current strength, instead of helping the guards, you will make their task harder."
Elena's cheeks flush.
"Father, most guards are ordinary people. I'm more than twice as strong as they are."
Elliot's voice hardens.
"But you are my daughter. The heir of this family. If you step onto the battlefield, I must assign knight guards to protect you instead of reinforcing the wall."
Elena's shoulders slump.
Silence lingers over the table.
The Earl's gaze lowers briefly.
It is true—they are stronger than common guards.
And keeping them locked inside the castle wastes their potential.
He himself failed to awaken the family bloodline.
Elena did.
The town needs morale.
If the people see the young lady fighting beside them, their confidence will rise.
He exhales.
"Fine. You may participate."
Both girls brighten instantly.
"But you will not climb the wall. You will assist only if beasts breach into the town."
They nod eagerly.
At that moment, the door opens.
The guard captain enters.
A peak official knight.
He bows deeply.
"Lord, we have identified what initiated the beast tide."
Elliot stiffens.
"What is it?"
"A Crocodile Tiger. A third-tier spirit beast. It is leading the beasts."
Larissa's thoughts sharpen immediately.
That beast must die quickly.
If the tide continues, Elena's ceremony will be cancelled.
Nearby nobles will not be able to attend.
She thinks of her senior.
And wonders if she can use her again.